Bhubaneswar: Two youths were arrested in connection with the armed attack on the residence of senior BJD leader and former Minister Pratap Jena in Bhubaneswar. The accused, identified as Siddharth Swain and Devi Prasad Lenka, have been forwarded to court.
Both the arrested youths were student leaders of the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD), who were suspended from the party on Friday over anti-party activities. Pratap Jena today lodged a complaint at Capital Police Station following the late-night ruckus in front of his residence. Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a direct assault on democracy.
He alleged that those who used money power to influence the recent Rajya Sabha elections, orchestrated the violence through hired miscreants. He said the incident was not isolated but reflects a broader collapse of governance and law enforcement.
“The armed assault on Pratap Jena’s house is a shameful example of misrule and deteriorating law and order,” Patnaik wrote on ‘X’. He demanded immediate and strict action against the culprits. Patnaik emphasized that democracy cannot survive under the shadow of violence and intimidation.
